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Full Noise by SN
Could Gout Gout follow the precedent set by Bolt and Lyles?
Nicholas Quinlan • February 24th, 2026 6:06 pm
Following a personal best performance in the 100 metres, Gout Gout’s manager, James Templeton, believes the teenage star could be capable of matching the successes of the likes of Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles.
With a shock appearance at the Dane Bird-Smith Shield Meet at QSAC on Saturday, the 18-year-old set his legal personal best in the 100 metres of 10 seconds flat.
With his performance, he would break the Australian U20 record and was only 0.01 seconds from beating his overall best.
But while the 200 metres is his best and favourite event at the moment (currently ranked 15th in the world), there is precedent to suggest that he could have success in the 100 metres, as shown by two of the last three Olympic Champions in the event.
“It’s hard to say, at the moment the 200m is certainly his main event and focus,” Templeton told SEN’s Kick Off.
“But there is a precedent for it. Not only Usain Bolt, who really didn’t take up running the 100m until he was 22-23 years old.
“But also, Noah Lyles, who didn’t emerge as a 100-metre runner until his early 20s.
“There is a certain power and strength coming out of the glutes, the backside, it’s 'grown man strength' as they call it.
“That power over the first ten metres emerges over time, and you want it to come naturally.
“You don’t want to try and force it. You don’t want to be doing an excessive amount of work on the starts, panicking about why he isn’t better over the first ten metres.
“Just allow it to come and allow the talent to come out of him.”
2026 is set to be a big year for Gout, who is looking to continue his development as a track star.
The 18-year-old sprinter made the call earlier in the month to pull out of the event in Glasgow in favour of competing in the 2026 U20 World Athletics Championships, with this year being the last time he’ll be able to.
While there was some disappointment from fans that we wouldn’t be able to compete in Scotland, Templeton and coach Di Sheppard think it was the right call, considering he wants to be at his best for as long as possible.
“Why would you push someone who is still developing and growing and just emerging if there is no hurry?” he said.
“Of course, we’ve got a feeling that he’s going to be around for another decade, certainly the Brisbane Olympics are high on the agenda, LA (2028 Olympics) before then.
“It seems the most obvious thing in the world to just allow this to unfold and let the talent come out of him rather than flog him in the short term.
“It just seems the very obvious strategy to me and certainly to 'Di'.
Gout will attempt to go one better from his silver medal performance in Lima when he competes in the U20 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The event will take place between August 5 and 9.
